Saturday, July 02, 2016

Hacked Emails Show Former NATO Boss Urged Conflict with Russia

Hacked Emails Show Former NATO Boss Urged Conflict with Russia

by Stephen Lendman

An earlier article called former NATO Commander General Philip Breedlove a dangerous gunslinger, a real-life general Jack D. Ripper - Stanley Kubrick’s deranged character from his dark satire, titled “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.”

Hacked emails posted on the DCLeaks web site provide new insight. Privately he plotted aggressively behind Obama’s back, urging proxy war with Russia, using US-created conflict and instability in Ukraine following the administration’s coup as a pretext.

He sought help from former high-level US military commanders, neocon administration officials, right-wing academics, and hawkish think tank members among others.

Though no longer NATO boss, his poisonous influence remains, part of America’s neocon infested lunatic fringe. As Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), he wanted more US combat troops near Russia’s borders, more provocative military exercises.

He urged more heavily arming Nazi-infested Ukrainian military forces than already. Claiming nonexistent “Russian aggression,” he argued for bolder confrontation, “a proactive stance” to challenge Moscow - the “nemesis to the east,” he said.

On June 30, Putin called NATO’s increasingly provocative presence along Russia’s border “a great mistake, (an) anti-Russian stance,” a way to affirm its legitimacy, hugely “confrontational,” forcing Moscow to respond appropriately.

In mid-June, Sergey Lavrov said “(w)e do not intend to give into attempts to drag us into a confrontation, not with the United States, not with NATO, not with the European Union.”

“We see continued attempts to exert pressure on us, to launch an anti-Russian campaign with the goal of forcing us to abandon our fundamental moral approach to world order problems.”

“There is a clear desire to patch up transatlantic discipline at our expense, at the same time undermining Russia's position as a competitor in the energy and arms markets.”

“No one should doubt that under any circumstances we will ensure the security of our country and our citizens.”

Breedlove isn’t alone among current and former US military and administration officials, favoring a more confrontational approach toward Russia.

In early June testimony before Senate Foreign Relations Committee members, neocon Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland, appointed by Hillary Clinton, urged spending $100 million a year destabilizing Russia - a litany of misinformation and Big Lies making her case.

US General Curtis Scaparrotti succeeded Breedlove, saying he’ll continue his predecessor’s policies. Claiming “resurgent Russia striving to project itself as a (menacing) world power” is disproved by cold, hard facts.

Calling terrorism a threat ignores its US creation, support and use against sovereign governments Washington wants toppled.

Scaparrotti urged greater militarization “in the spirit of being able to fight tonight if deterrence fails.”